Full open end closure



Nov. 18, 1969 A. P. zuNDr-:L

FULL OPEN END CLOSURE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 14, 1968'- INVENTOR. AAW/0A P//M/P Z/Vt' NDV. 18, 1989 A, .ANNUEL 3,478,918

FULL OPEN END CLOSURE Filed Aug, 14, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. V2 APH/0,9 Pff/up zw/fz Nov. 1s, i1.969 A, P, ZUNDEL l 3,478,918

FULL'` OPEN END CLOSURE Filed Aug. 14, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet H HD Y l l f 225 BLM; 22%@ United States Patent O 3,478,918 FULL OPEN END CLOSURE Arthur Philip Zundel, Cary, Ill., assignor to American (lan Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New ersey Filed Aug. 14, 1968, Ser. No. 752,715 Int. Cl. B65d 17/20, 51/20 U.S. Cl. 220-54 9 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A currently popular type of can which can be opened without an opener or other instrument has a large removable section defined by a score line which is adjacent to the countersink and has an opening tab secured to the section close to the peripheral score which can be manipulated to detach the section. The opening tab is rocked forwardly to bring its nose down on or adjacent to the peripheral score to initiate rupture of that score and subsequently the tab is pulled back over the removable section to cause the ends of the rupture to progress around the sides of the removable section until the entire peripheral score has been ruptured, and the removable section has been detached.

Such cans find use in situations where the product i9 packaged with the intention that it will be removed by the insertion of an instrument or the iingers of the consumer into the can. Examples of such products are coffee, nuts and candy. Another use of such cans is the packaging of products which are made up of large pieces which must -be removed without mutilization, such as sausages and pre-cooked stew.

A disadvantage of such containers is that when they are used to package a liquid, semi-liquid or partially liquid product, such as stew or prepared meats packaged in a sauce, product retained on the inside of the removable section will be splattered at the moment that section is torn free from the can. The splattering is caused by the creation of a bend in the rear portion of the removable section during the opening operation, and an abrupt return of the bent metal to a more or less flat configuration at the moment when the removable section is detached from the end.

SUMMARY The above disadvantages are overcome by providing the removable section of a full open end with reinforcement at the rear portion of the removable section, to prevent excessive bending of that portion during the opening operation and the consequent springing back to a conguration closer to the original planar configuration violently enough to splatter product on the underside of the removable section upon complete detachment of the removable section from the end.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan View of an end closure made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view partly in section and in enlarged Patented Nov. 18, 1969 scale, showing the end closure of FIG. 1 seamed to a can body;

FIG. 3 is a side View partly in section and similar to FIG. 2 but after the lift tab has been rocked upwardly to initiate rupture of the peripheral score, and pulled rearwardly to cause the ends of that rupture to progress rearwardly;

FIG. 4 is a side view partly in section and generally similar to FIG. 3 but showing the relationship of parts after the opening tab has been pulled rearwardly far enough to cause the rupture to progress approximately one-half of the way around the peripheral score;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and in an enlarged scale, showing the position of parts after the pull tab has been pulled rearwardly far enough that the removable section is just about ready to be completely detached from the can end;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of another form of end closure made in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view of still another form of end closure made in accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An end closure 10 made in accordance with the present invention is shown in plan in FIG. l. It includes a peripheral flange 12 which may be interfolded with the end flange of a can body 14 to form an end seam 16 as shown in FIG. 2. The flange 12 merges into a countersink 18 which extends downwardly from the flange 12 to an inwardly extending shoulder 20. The shoulder 20 extends inwardly to a wall 22 which extends generally downwardly to the central panel 26. The countersink 18, which is shown and described here forms part of an invention covered in U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 624,051, led Mar. 17, 1967 in the names of Leonard Thomas La Croce and Raymond Luscombe Batchelar. Other forms of countersink wall could be used in the end closure 10 and function satisfactorily.

Impressed in the top surface of the central panel 26 is a score line 28 which defines a removable section 30 which becomes detached from the end closure when the score line 28 is completely ruptured. The score line 28 is close to the periphery of the central panel 26 so that it defines a removable section 30 which is almost as large as the central panel 26.

In order to provide means for rupturing the score line 28, an opening tab 32 is fastened to the removable section 30 at a location adjacent to the score 28 by a rivet 34. The rivet 34 is integral with the removable section 30 and includes an annular vertical side wall 36 and an upper transverse wall 38 which has about its periphery an annular ange 40 which overlies the pull tab 32 to secure it on the removable section 30.

The opening tab 32 includes a web portion 42 through which the rivet 34 passes, a handle portion 44 rearwardly of the web portion 42 and a nose portion 46 forwardly of the web portion 42 which is urged downwardly when the handle portion 44 is raised to initiate rupture of the score 28. The handle portion 44 includes an upturned end 48 to facilitate the insertion of a finger under it so that it can be easily rocked upwardly by the user. The pull tab 32 is shown as an example of one which might be used with the present invention, but other pull tab designs could be used and function just as well.

After the pull tab has been rocked upwardly to initiate rupture of the peripheral score 28, pulling rearwardly on the pull tab in an attempt to complete rupture of the peripheral score 28 has a tendency to cause the removable section 30 to crown, that is, to form an upward bulge generally along the diameter of the central panel 26 which extends through the rivet 34. This crowning effect is made possible by loose metal in the central panel 26, much of which is often caused by the scoring operation which displaces metal outwardly from the score 28.

This crowning effect has the effect of preventing the removable section from bending in the direction generally perpendicular to the direction in which the tab 32 is moved to detach the removable section 30 as is necessary for a progressive rupture of the score 28. Thus, the crowning has the effect of making the complete rupture of the score 28 difficult or impossible.

In order to prevent crowning, the present en-d closure is provided with four downwardly extending beads to take up any loose metal so that the panel 26 is fairly taut. These metal take-up beads include a pair of forward beads 50 and 51 on the forward portion of the removable section 30 and a pair of beads 52 and S3 on its rear portion. The beads 50 and 51 extend at right angles to one another and are fairly close to the peripheral score 28. The beads 52 and 53 extend at right angles to the beads 50 and 51 respectively, and also lie fairly close to the d score 28 so that each of the beads 50, 51, 52 and 53 extend at a 45 angle with respect to the diameter in the removable section 30 which passes through the rivet 34.

It has already been pointed out that in containers of the present type, it is desirable that during the early stages of the opening operation a bend is formed generally perpendicular to the direction in which the opening tab is moved, to facilitate the progressive rupture of the peripheral score 28. This bend will begin at the forward portion of the removable section 30 and progress rearwardly as both ends of the rupture in the score 28 progress around the side of the removable section 30. In order to permit this bend to occur at the forward section in the present can end, it has been found that the provision of several parallel and downwardly projecting beads 60, 61, 62 and 63 will counteract any stiffening characteristics of the beads 50 and 51 to the extent necessary to allow the removable section 30 to bend in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction in which the opening tab 32 is moved to open the can. The parallel beads 60, 61, 62 and 63 also tend to prevent crowning because they resist bending in a direction perpendicular to the general direction in which the tab 32 is moved.

The bottoms of three of the beads, specifically the beads 61, 62 and 63, lead into the recessed area 68 which along with the upturned end 48 of the opening tab 32 creates a space under the end of the handle portion 34 to allow the user to easily place his finger under the handle portion 34 to rock the opening tab upwardly to initiate rupture of the peripheral score 28. The rearmost bead 63 is contiguous to a fiat central portion 70 of the removable section 30.

FIG. 3 shows the opening tab shortly after it has been rocked upwardly to initiate rupture of the score 28 and moved rearwardly far enough to cause the rupture to progress along the sides of the flat central portion 70 of the removable section 30 far enough to induce a bend in the beads 60, 61, 62 and 63. As the opening tab 32 is pulled rearwardly, the rupture in the score 28 progresses along the sides of the removable section 30 which bends as it is pulled upwardly.

In order to prevent the bend from forming in the rear portion of the removable section 30 to such an extent that the removable section 30 would spring back towards a planar configuration violently enough to splatter product at the moment of detachment from the end closure 10, a strengthening bead 80` is provided. The strengthening bead 80 projects upwardly and includes a base segment 82 and two legs 84 and 86 which extend toward the location where the score 28 is last ruptured during the opening operation.

As shown in FIG. 5, the bead 80 retains the rear portion of the removable section 30 in a more or less planar configuration as the rupture in the score 28 progresses to the rear of the removable section 30. It permits the rear portion of the removable section 30 to bend only enough for the score 28 to rupture, while preventing the formation of a bend acute enough to result in a violent springing action of the rear portion of the removable section as it returns to a configuration which is substantially planar after detachment.

Another reason why the strengthening bead prevents splattering is because it obviates pulling the opening tab 32 far enough to the rear to induce a sharp bend in the removable section at the rear portion thereof so that the rear portion faces upwardly. Instead, it faces downwardly as shown in FIG. 5 so that any spring-back of the rear portion of the removable section 30 which would occur in spite of the strengthening bead 80 would tend to propel the product downwardly into the open container and not upwardly and over the side of the end Seam 16.

FIG. 6 shows an end closure which although made in accordance with the present invention, is of a different form than the end closure shown in FIGS. l through 5. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, an end closure 110, which may be secured to the can body 14 of FIGS. 2 through 5 in an end seam, has a score line 128 which defines a removable section 130 almost as large as the end closure 110. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, no take-up beads of the type provided in the embodiment of FIG. 1 namely, 50, 51, 52 and 53 are included. Parallel beads 160, 161, 162 and 163 are large enough in comparison to the area of the removable section 130 to take up excess metal and prevent crowning and in addition perform the same function as the corresponding beads 60, 61, 62 and 63 of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

The rearward portion of the removable section 130 is reinforced Vby a series of parallel beads 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, and 186 which are perpendicular to the beads 160, 161, 162 and 163. Thus, when the rupture in the score 128 is progressing around the sides of the beads 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185 and 186, those beads will prevent the rearward portion of the removable section 130 from bending to such a degree that upon the detachment of the removable section 130, the rearward portion would spring back to a more planar configuration violently enough to splatter product over the end seam of a can. They also preclude a formation of a bend sharp enough so that at the moment of detachment of the section 130, a portion of it faces upwardly to propel any product which splatters in spite of the beads 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, and 186 over the end seam. The beads 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185 and 186, then, perform the same function as the bead 80 in the embodiment in FIG. 1. They do not prevent crowning but the beads 160, 161, 162 and 163 do, in addition to inducing the formation of a bend in the forward portion of Athe removable section 130 during the time the ends of the rupture in the score 128 are progressing along the forward portion of the removable section 130 during the opening operation. The bend progresses rearwardly as the ends of the rupture in the score 128 do, and extends in a direction perpendicular to the general direction in which the opening tab is moved to open a can.

Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 7 where an end .closure 210 has a score 228 defining removable section 230 which has four parallel beads 260, 261, 262 and 263 which extend transversely of the direction in which the opening tab is moved to open the container to permit the forward portion of the removable section 230 to flex and thereby allow a progressive rupture of the score 228. These beads also prevent crowning. The rearward portion of the removable section 230 is reinforced by a depression 280 which extends rearwardly from the bottom of the bead 263 and is generally triangular in configuration except that the corners thereof are rounded. The corner 281 is adjacent to the score 228 so that the depression 280 provides reinforcement over substantially the entire rear portion of the removable section 230. A generally oval shaped depression 282 is impressed centrally in the depression 280 to provide additional reinforcement and space under the opening tab so that it can be easily opened. It has been found that it is not necessary to provide separate beading to take up excessive metal in the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, because the beads 260, 261, 262 and 263 as well as the recessions 280 and 282 in the end closure 210 extend over a large enough portion of the area of the removable section 230 to limit the amount of loose metal which is present and thereby prevent -a crowning effect.

The reinforcement depressions 280 and 282 function in the manner of the beads 80 in the end closure shown in FIG. 1 to prevent splattering of the product when the removable section 230 is detached from the closure 210.

I claim:

1. An end closure for a container comprising a peripheral score defining a large removable section, an opening tab secured to said removable section on the front portion thereof and adjacent to said peripheral score and reinforcing means on the rear portion of said section so that when said tab is manipulated to initiate rupture in said peripheral score and pulled rearwardly, to completely rupture said score and detach said removable section from said end closure, said rear portion will remain substantially planar as said removable section is detached from said can.

2. The end closure defined in claim 1 further comprising a bead in said removable section which prevents loose metal from bulging upwardly when said tab is pulled rearwardly.

3. The end closure defined in cl-aim 2 wherein said bead extends downwardly.

4. The end closure defined in claim 1 wherein said reinforcing means is an upwardly extending bead.

5. The end closure defined in claim 4 wherein said reinforcement bead comprises a base segment extending generally perpendicular to the general direction in which said opening tab is moved to completely detach said removable section, and two legs extending rearwardly from the ends of said base segment, and towards e-ach other.

6. The end closure defined in claim 1 wherein said reinforcing means comprises a bead extending generally parallel to the direction in which said tab is pulled to open said closure.

7. The end closure defined in claim 1 wherein s-aid reinforcing means comprises a plurality of beads extending generally parallel to the direction in which said tab is pulled to open said closure.

8. The end closure defined in claim 1 wherein said reinforcing means comprises a depression in said rear portion.

9. The end closure defined in claim 8 wherein said depression has another depression within it, said other depression being disposed below the rear end of said opening tab.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,381,848 5/1968 Brown 220--54 3,406,867 10/1968 Westphal et al. 220-54 3,411,662 11/1968 Silver 220-54 GEORGE T. HALL, Primary Examiner 

